Shloka 80
Prohibitions and Rules of Right Conduct (Ācāra): Theft, Speech, Purity, Residence, and Social Boundaries
सुहृन्मरणमात्रं वा स्वयं न श्रावयेत्परान् । अपण्यं कूटपण्यं वा विक्रयेन प्रयोजयेत्
suhṛnmaraṇamātraṃ vā svayaṃ na śrāvayetparān | apaṇyaṃ kūṭapaṇyaṃ vā vikrayena prayojayet
ไม่พึงเป็นผู้เล่าข่าวแม้เพียงเรื่องการตายของสหายให้ผู้อื่นฟังด้วยตนเอง และไม่พึงประกอบการค้าด้วยการขายของที่ไม่ควรขาย หรือค้าขายสินค้าปลอมปนฉ้อฉล
Unspecified (narrative injunction within the Svarga-khaṇḍa discourse; likely within the Pulastya–Bhīṣma dialogue framework, but not identifiable from the single verse alone).
Concept: Do not spread distressing news needlessly; avoid unethical commerce and fraud—dharma includes compassionate speech and honest livelihood.
Application: Share sensitive information with care and consent; practice truthful business—no counterfeit, no prohibited goods, no deceptive pricing.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: city
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A bustling ancient marketplace is shown with a calm Vaishnava merchant weighing goods honestly on a balance, while shadowy figures attempt to pass counterfeit wares. In a quieter corner, a messenger restrains his tongue, choosing not to broadcast tragic news, conveying compassion through silence and measured gesture.","primary_figures":["Honest merchant devotee","Customer family","Deceptive traders (contrast figures)","Messenger (restrained speech motif)"],"setting":"Old Indian bazaar with cloth awnings, grain sacks, balance scales, temple spire visible in the distance","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["indigo","turmeric yellow","copper brown","ivory","maroon"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: richly ornamented bazaar scene with a central honest merchant before a distant Vishnu temple; gold leaf accents on scales and temple finial, saturated reds/greens, detailed jewelry and textiles; contrasting vignette of counterfeit goods rendered in darker tones, moral clarity through composition.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: narrative marketplace with delicate brushwork—merchant’s serene face, precise scales, subtle moral contrast; cool palette with warm highlights, refined architecture, lyrical crowd movement, distant shrine anchoring dharma.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and symbolic color blocks—merchant in bright sattvic hues, fraudulent traders in muted/darker pigments; stylized scales and goods, temple silhouette, expressive eyes emphasizing ethical resolve.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central motif of dharmic trade as offering to Vishnu—lotus borders, ornate patterns; a small Krishna/Vishnu shrine panel above the market; deep blues and gold, intricate floral frames, moral narrative in side panels."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["market ambience (soft)","temple bells (distant)","footsteps","brief silence on the line about death-news"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: suhṛnmaraṇamātraṃ = suhṛt-maraṇa-mātram; śrāvayetparān = śrāvayet + parān
FAQs
It cautions against speech that can unnecessarily spread distress, panic, or social disruption; restraint in communication is presented as part of dharma.
Apaṇya refers to items that are improper or forbidden to sell, while kūṭapaṇya refers to counterfeit or deceitful merchandise; both are condemned as unrighteous commerce.
Dharma requires both careful speech and honest livelihood: do not cause harm through indiscriminate reporting, and do not profit through prohibited or fraudulent trade.